Baptism & Update

Yesterday was a great day for me and my family. I got baptised at my church it was an amazing feeling I thought we would never get there but finally we did and it was just at the right time. Thank you Pastor Paul for everything and being there for me and my family. After I got baptised we all went to Anne & Tony's for a good brunch.

So the apartment is still great we have all the rooms together now and we actually added to our family and got a puppie she is 11 weeks old today we got her about 3 weeks ago. Shes a Morkie (Maltese & Yorkie) her names Millie shes so good for me she gives me a reason to wake up in the morning and now I feel like I have something to do because she depends on me now its wonderful.

Saturday night Brad and Susan Salmons, Ryan's parents invited Holly and I to the game opener for the Columbus Blue Jackets we were excited to enjoy the night with them. We had a great time and to end it the blue jackets won so it even made it better. Ryan was defiantly there in spirit we felt him all around they actually have Ryan's Jersey hanging up by the Hats for hero's station by the main doors its so nice I am so happy that it displays there so everytime I go to the games I see it and know Ryan's with us. They also have is jersey that he wore to the games in another display by sections 103-104. Make sure you check it out when you go to the games! Thanks again Brad and Susan for an amazing time & thank you for everything else cant wait to get together again.

So thats pretty much everything chemo treatments are still once a week with one treatment one week and two treatments the next. I had an appointment with OSU leg doctors last monday to see if I can get the C-leg and everything worked out great so in no time I should be walking around with my new leg!!!

Thanks for the prayers and please continue.

Joe Friend

My new place.

I just want to update everyone on how I am and what my life is like right now. I moved into my new place with my wonderful wife on Sept 5Th we have been working really hard to get everything into place and have had many people over to see it and its great. We are so happy right now and its all because God made it happen. We are excited to start are life together and its been amazing so far and it will continue to be amazing. Please continue to pray that treatment goes great. Treatment every other week is still tough but I am and will get though it. Thanks again for all the support and love and please stop by anytime we would love to have you!

Joe.
Please continue to pray for the kids on J5!

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

I want to start by saying sorry it has taken me a while to update I have been very busy these past couple weeks. Second I want to Thank a lot of people last Wednesday the 5th of August my brother Dustin had a benefit for me in Mount Vernon at the Flappers bar and grill it was a spaghetti dinner and auction. I first want to thank my brother Dustin for helping me out and doing this for me it was really awesome and my dad and Darla for helping him out that night myself and others will never forget it thank you! I also want to thank the owner of flappers Jeff for letting us hold the benefit there thank you so much this benefit has and will help me out for a long time to come. I also want to thank Donley ford and Lash Chevrolet and the people that came thank you so much it means everything to me. I also want to thank everyone from the race track and especially Joy Smith for donating a incredible amount thank you so much. Thank you to everyone else that come out that night and helping me out you will never truly know how deeply this touches my heart and it blows my mind to think that so many people care for me it amazes me everyday the love and support that I get from everyone I truly do not know what I would ever do without every single person. I am sorry if I forgot anyone! I cant ever say thank you enough for all of this its AMAZING and I cant get over it i am still talking about it and will for a long time to come. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Okay so update on me I have received a couple more treatments since my last update. I go once a week for about 34 more weeks and they added a drug to my MTTP-E drug and it give me a headache and im a little sick the next day but I just have to get used to it and it will be fine tomorrow I go in for another treatment and an MRI to make sure everything is looking okay please PRAY that everything is and we are doing good! Holly and I have decided its time to move out and be on our own so we are moving Sept. 5th and I cant wait to start our lives together we should be fine with me only have one treatment a week and we are still close to family so we will always have visitors which we will love. We just got back also from another vacation we went to Ocean Isle for a family beach vacation it was fun and HOT we had a good time relaxing on the beach it was my nephews first time at the beach so that was a lot of fun watching there faces. We were also there to see my best friend Jeremy get married I was the best man it was a beautiful beach wedding Holly and I are so happy for them they are also expecting so that is another exciting thing we wish them the best life together!

I have received my new crutches and I want to Thank all of you for letting this happen they are so nice I love them they help me out so much it was a real change when I first used them I just got them on Monday so I haven't been able to show them too many people but im excited to use them and show everyone soon.

So please say a prayer and hope everything goes as planned tomorrow! And again Thank you Dustin, Dad and Darla for everything thanks again to everyone that was there and those who couldn't make it but still made a donation!!! I will be forever grateful...

Vacation

Sorry it has been a while since my last update things are going good I have received one treatment since being back from St. Jude's I have been trying to get a hold of someone there to know more information but still don't know anything about the rest of my treatment. Last weekend Holly and I traveled down to West Virgina for my family reunion it was a good time we got back yesterday and was very tired from the drive. I have only a couple more leg doctor appointment until I can get my leg and start to walk again I should be getting my new crutches here soon in the next couple of weeks it has taken a long time on those but hopefully it wont be to much longer. I hope to get some type of treatment this week because next week I will be in NC for a family vacation and my best friend is getting married on the beach and I'm the best man I am really looking forward to this trip. I believe Holly and I will leave after my appointment on Friday at Hanger (leg doctor) and make a two day trip out of it. But just wanted everyone to know that I'm doing good, and hoping for treatment soon and to see if the spot on my back has grown or became smaller. Please keep me in your prayers and pray the the spot on my back does become smaller and smaller each day. Thank you all for everything and showing your support and love.

Joey

PS. Please continue your prays for the kids on J5.

Other important news Ryan Salmons dad is having a benefit to raise money for the Ryan Mission for Nationwide Children's Hospital, there was an article in the paper about it in Sundays paper on the front of the sports section if you can go that's amazing I just wish I would be in town. For more information on this event please visit his site. www.teamsalmons.com

AMAZING NEWS!!!!!

This past week I went back down to St. Jude's and they confirmed that the tumor/thing on my back is NOT cancer this is amazing news for me and my whole family I am a true believer of miracles now and I want to thank everyone for helping me and supporting me and praying for me because I truly believe that it was all the praying that turned it into not being cancer. Thank you GOD! So now I am home i got home Friday morning around 2am and headed to children's that morning to start back on my chemo treatments. The doctors at St. Jude's tells us that the chemo up here is working and that I should finish treatment up here this is amazing and they have also said I do not need surgery that my body will take care of the thing itself. So amazing news and everything is back on track thank you so much ST. JUDE'S!

Home and Tired

Sorry that I did not update last night we were all very tried after a long and went to bed early. Yesterday we had some meeting with different people like a social worker and post opp. after my biopsy. I didn't end up having my biopsy yesterday. After we were done with the test we actually got to go have some fun we went to Graceland and to Elvis place and enjoyed the tour Holly had the time of her life she looked like a kid in the candy store it was so nice to have some kind of fun. After that we went to fine the famous Beale Street and walked up and down there and seen some pretty cool things it was a good time we ate at this Jazz place and the food was good after that we went back to the hotel and hit the beds we were tired. Today we had to be up early for the biopsy and that was all we did today it went perfect no problems. We got the schedule for next week and depending on the results from the biopsy we will be beginning treatment and that's exciting I cant wait to final start something. After the biopsy I was allowed to travel home we arrived home around 9 and that wasn't bad for leaving Memphis at 1pm. We had a good and safe trip home. Next Monday I will again be traveling down to St. Jude's and Tuesday have more meeting with people and hopefully treatment. Thank you all for all the support it has really helped. The support really helps me get though the hard times and waiting is the hardest. Please continue to pray because it does help.

Joe.

Second day at St. Judes.

This morning we were up bright and early we left the grizzlies house at 6:30am and walked over to the Clinic were I had to get a PET scan man is it different from Nationwide Children's Hospital the PET scan only took 1:30 Min's and that was only because the tech. messed up on one part of my body. But everything was good then we traveled to the pharmacy and they explained things to me and how it works there. Then we had a break were we ate lunch and hung out went to the gift shop and back to the hotel for a while then we had a meeting with the surgeon where we would find out if I made the trial and if the tumor was removable we arrived at 2pm and waited waited and waited around 3:30pm we went to the desk and a James the nurse came out and explained the surgeon was in surgery still and was sorry he was just backed up. All of our hearts were beating because we all were nervous in the first place and then we had to wait longer. Holly was a nervous wreak. So finally we got in to the room and the surgeon came in and talked with us with about 6 other people. This is the news we received the tumor is removable that amazing news now we are waiting again for information on if the tumor is Osteoscarma we know it is but here at St. Jude's they don't have all the test still from Children's so were waiting on Children's. So right now I am in the trial and we are waiting for the test to be completed. St. Jude's does nothing on weekends or holidays so I might be coming home then back down next week. We don't know anything else, tomorrow we meet with the Social Worker and then I might have a biopsy or I might now its still up in the air. I will blog tomorrow on more information as I receive it. Today was a good day tho with good news thank GOD!

First Day At St. Jude's

Today was the my first day at St. Jude's man is it so different then Nationwide Children's Hospital. Everyone is so nice and they help you out so much I had my own nurse that took me around the hospital to all the places I needed to go they pay for everything housing food its truly amazing here. We got news that I am not totally accepted into the trial but they did an MRI today and tomorrow we will find out and I know I am in the trial we just need the final say from the surgeon. It was a full day of Test and registration. We meet my doctor she seems very nice and so did my nurse. Everything seem to be going well but still miss children's and all the kids there. Tomorrow we have another day of test that start at 7am not really looking forward to that but I gotta do what I gotta do. Please pray we get in the trial and chemo starts on wed!!!!!

Joe
Will blog again tomorrow night!

IN memphis

We are here in Memphis Tennessee. We went to Church in the morning and left right after around 11:30 I slept the whole way so the ride went fast. We arrived around 8 and looked at the hospital totally different then Nationwide Children's Hospital. Our hotel is nice and it faces St. Jude's. Tomorrow we will be getting up early to go there and get register and I am scheduled for an MRI and a hospital tour. We are about to order pizza and watch TV and get a good night sleep. Wish me luck for tomorrow and hope that everything goes as planed.

Joe.

Ps. We are an hour behind Columbus.

Off to ST. JUDE'S

Tomorrow I will be heading down to St. Jude's in Memphis Tennessee. I am excited and scared at the same time I'm excited to start getting chemo again and I am closer to getting the tumor removed and then I am scared because I don't know anything or anyone in the hospital its not like children's hospital where I know where I'm going and I know everyone. But I have to do what I have to do to survive. I went to the leg doctor again yesterday and things went well I will have two more appointments the week I get back from St. Jude's and then I should have my leg. So the plans are St. Jude's this week and then in the next couple weeks I should have surgery and then back to St. Jude's for chemo and I believe I will be doing chemo for 1 year. I will be updating my blog hopefully every night to keep everyone updated on our day. I also hope it wont be all hospital stuff and we can go see some places there in Memphis. So please pray that everything goes as planned and we make it down and back safe. Thanks so much for the support.

Joe.

Please continue to pray for the kids on J5.

Monday

I got news today about St. Jude's but don't know full details about everything yet. St. Jude's will be calling me here in the next couple of days but what information we do have is that I will be leaving on Sunday morning and then come Monday morning I will be going to St. Jude's Monday will be more test and meeting with the doctors. Tuesday hopefully I will be doing chemo doctor Yeager said they will be discussing if they want to do surgery down there but since really they don't do surgery above the age of 18. I do hope I come back to Columbus to do the surgery but we will talk about it down there. That really is all the information I have is we will be there Monday and that's all I wanted to hear! I'm happy things are finally going its the hardest part is waiting. Please continue to pray for me and hope that everything goes as plan. I want to say thank you again for all the support!! Thanks!

Joe

Please continue to pray for the kids on J5!

Thank you!!

Well first of all I want to thank everyone that came out to the car wash and those that helped! It was an amazing day I met some really great people and had a great time it was great to be there with my whole family and friends! We worked non stop for 5 hours it was a beautiful day I just couldn't ask for more with the money we raised it was unbelievable the kind of support I have in my life I know saying this is weird but I do consider my self a lucky guy and this weekend really showed it. Friday I went for my fitting for my leg it was great it fit good there will be a couple other appointments for the fitting before I get my leg and this wouldn't be possible without everyone support THANK YOU. I cant wait to actually walk and not be in pain this new leg is going to be great! No news yet on St. Jude's the doctors didn't have everything there last wed. so they were not able to get all the information for me together they have another meeting on this wed. where we should be getting information on going down there and getting this all started. After the car wash on Saturday Holly and I came home and crashed we were both so tried and so was everyone else. Sunday was good we had a family picnic on Holly's side Sunday morning and then in the afternoon we had a get together at my aunt Cheryl's then went and seen a movie with my wife it was a great weekend. This week will be busy too as I wait to hear information on St. Jude's if everything goes as planned we will be headed down there this coming weekend. Please pray I get some information because I really wanna be doing something about this tumor!

Again thank you thank you thank you I cant say it enough for all the support and help on this past Saturdays car wash!!!!!

Joe.

Please continue to pray for the kids on J5!

No real new yet

Since my last blog not much has changed I did a bone and PET scan and both were good excepted that one spot on my back. We found out I was accepted into the St. Jude's trial which is great news but we really have not got any information on this yet what we do know is I will go down for a 3 to 5 day stay the first time were I will get more test done and talk to the doctor if everything goes good I will then have the trial osteoscarma chemo which is for an hour but a 24 hour observation. Then come home and around July 14th have the tumor removed then 3 to 4 weeks after surgery will be flying back and forth to Tennessee every 2 weeks for a 1 day stay for I believe up to one year. I will still have my doctors here which is great and that's what I wanted so I get the best of both worlds right now and I pray that everything goes okay and stays good. Right now I call Stacy everyday to find out any information because waiting is the hardest part. Stacy told me that they are having a meeting with St. Jude's this week and we should know more information by the end of this week. This weekend was great Friday and Saturday we had a garage sale and I wanna thank everyone who came out and help and donated. Thank you!! Friday I had my second appointment with Hanger my leg doctor and it went great I got measured and then my next appointment will be a fitting. I cant wait to be able to walk without having so much pain. Sunday I went to church with my whole family and Holly's parents and our Pastor had us out to his house for a cookout we had a great time we also planted a tree that was for me in his yard that was so nice. I will keep you updated as news comes in. Please continue to pray for me and my family and also the kids on J5!!

And don't forget about the car wash this Saturday!!!

No good news

Just to update some people that might not know what is going on with me. I went in for my 5 day chemo treatment last Thursday. I have been having some discomfort in my throat so I order a scan turns out my throat is clear but the seen a shadow on my back I and my family was not ever expecting this they were 90 percent sure it was cancer again but it could have been a hemotobin. I was sent home Friday after my biopsy that went fine they figured if it is cancer again that there is no reason to keep doing the chemo treatments at this time. We were told that they would not know anything until Monday and that we would have a family and doctor meeting on Tuesday. This weekend was about spending time with my family and friends also with my church family. We talked about a lot but at the same time we don't know whats going on at all so we really couldn't decide anything until we find out the information. Today is Tuesday and we found out the news we were expecting but didn't want to hear it is a cancer tumor on my upper back it is not on my lungs its on the wall by my ribs on the right side. We did some other scans and now we are waiting to see if this spot is the only spot and then we have two options from there I am still unsure what I want to do but I know that I am going to fight just as hard as the first time and I'm not done fighting my battle and I am going 100 percent head first into this and beat the odds that are against me. Please continue to pray for me and my family as we need all we can get at this moment. I don't know when the next update will be as me and my family face this difficult time.

Been busy busy busy

I'm sorry it has taken me a while to update this blog but I have been busy and with no computer right now it is kinda hard. I will start out saying last weekend was one of the best weekends I have had in a very very long time. Thursday of last week I went in for the one day chemo treatment then packed up to go camping with Holly's family. We got to the site late and started setting up things I did what I could. Then came Saturday I was so excited for Saturday because that was the day I was going to the race track for the Race For Cancer in Mt. Vernon where I was the Grand Marshall. We got picked up by a racing limo where it took me my dad, step mom Darla, Holly and her parents the the Pacemaker Race Track. It was so exciting I got there and it was like I was the man of the hour I got to go around meet drivers and see there cars. It was better then I could ever image. They treated us like Kings and Queens they all were so nice. I actually got to go down the drag race track with Joy Smith in her racing truck it was unbelievable I felt like I was in a space ship I wanted to do it over and over again while my family was just hoping I didn't get sick : ). They raised money for me so that I could get my crutches this was not expected at all and it was wonderful because it was just enough for me to add to the other donations to get the crutches I am so excited I cant thank them enough for what they did this memories will forever be remembered for a life time to come. Thank you so much for those who were there and those who helped donate not just for me but for the James Cancer Hospital at the Ohio State University there is not enough words in the world that can describe how truly this means to me and other cancer patients and survivors. People like you are the ones who will help find a cure for cancer one day and everyday I hope that day comes closer!! There is a website that you can visit for some pictures the Race For Cancer day at the track: http://www.pacemakersdragway.com/
After that exciting day we just enjoyed the last days of camping. Monday we came back from camping went to a family cookout and caught a movie. This past week has been good I have been feeling 100% I went for Chemo on Tuesday and then again Friday and it went good and has not slowed me down. I got my appointment made for the new leg place where I will be getting fitted for my new crutches this Tuesday WOO RAH!
Upcoming Events!!!! On June 12th and 13th there is a garage sale that will be at my house 348 N. Murray Hill Road Columbus Oh 43228. There is also a Car wash in the works I believe we are shooting for the 20th of June so mark your calendars and come get your car washed by this bald kid.

Please continue to pray for the kids on J5 and there families.
Joe

Out of the hospital and looking forward to this long weekend.

I just got out of the hospital yesterday after a long 5 day chemo. The chemo went great on Monday night they gave me 3 bags of blood so I would be good enough for this great weekend ahead of me. Me and Holly's family will be going camping for the weekend and also be going to this race which is The race for cancer by mount Vernon it should be amazing and me and my family should have a great time I will take pictures and post some after the weekend. Over all i am a little tired but that's expected after chemo but I do feel good. Yesterday when I got home I ordered some chicken wings and it hurt my stomach I should have waited but not eating for 5 days would make anyone hungry but other then that everythings good. I want to also thank everyone for the support and gifts I have received this past week theses gifts will really help me continue my fight and I cant wait to get my new crutches next Friday I am making an appointment to get fitted for them and should have them in time for this summer which should be a great one. So thanks goes out to Norman & Mary Berry, Bob & Linda Knapp, Mike and Rea Jean Hixs, Kim woltz & the kids, And Karen and Tim Heartman and Margert & Mary Wildi, also Rick & Sheri & Erick Shepard. Thanks you all so very much for everything!
Thank you all for the support pray and love you all have shown. Pray I feel good this weekend so I can do some fun events!!

Joe Friend

Garage sale Rescheduled!!!

The garage sale that we were going to have this weekend the 15th and 16th is going to be rescheduled for June 12th and 13th. We are expecting rain and some other things came up I also would like to be there and since I am in the hospital this weekend we thought it would be better to schedule it for a better time so please come out on June 12th and 13th 10am to 5pm for the garage sale. All the money will go towards the Joseph C. Friend Benefit to help me with medical expenses and new crutches and hopefully help me get a new leg so I can start to wear it again. So mark your calendars for JUNE 12th and 13th!!!!Thank so much. & I am feeling good : )

Its been a while

I am sorry that I have not posted a lot lately I have been very busy. I have been feeling very good so I get out of the house every chance I get. I had my 5 day chemo 2 weeks ago and started to have this pain in my side a little bit before I went in for the chemo the doctors told me it must be muscle pain where I had my ribs taken out and the muscle was growing new come to find out after a CT Scan because Holly insisted for me to get one it turns out to be a broken rib. They believe it was because when I cough im hard on that side of my body. These past two weeks have been good with the MTP-PE. Last Monday May 4th I had to have the day chemo and then a blood transfusion and platelets I was in the hospital till 7 that night it was a long night but I felt 100% better. As many of you may know my friend Ryan Salmons pasted away on Friday May 1st after a long year of fighting his fight please say a prayer for his family as they go though this difficult time that no parent should have to go though. I will for sure miss him and he will forever be in my heart. I go in on Thursday for my 5 day chemo treatment so this should be a long one I don't like the 5 day chemos but it has to be done. This weekend is a busy one my family and friends are having a garage sale to raise money for me for my medical expenses and also to help me get new crutches and hopeful help to get me a new leg. so if you can check it out at 348 N. Murray Hill Rd. Cols Oh 43228. I will be in the hospital during this time so I will not be there but I wish I could. I think I have everyone updated now and I will get better at updating but Its been to nice out to be on the computer. 

Please continue to pray for the kids on J5 and also my friend Christina that is having a procedure done this Thursday to kill her tumor please pray it will work. 

Joe

Great weekend & going good this week

Saturday I went to the hockey game with my best friend Jeremy and we had a great time to bad that the Jackets didn't win but we still had a good time. We are in the playoffs that's all that matters I cant wait to watch them tomorrow night. I had a great Easter Sunday Holly and I woke up and went to church with some of the family then back to my house to see our nephews and give them the gifts we got them for Easter they were so excited about the Easter bunny and it was nice to see them. Then Holly and I went to her house for Easter then ended up renting some movies and relaxing together it was a great Easter. Monday I went back to the hospital for an outpatient chemo treatment and also received some blood by my choice I was on the line so I just decided to get some so I will feel great during the week. So I feel 100% today. Tomorrow I go back in for another outpatient chemo treatment so this time if I don't need blood I will be in and out with in a couple of hours and not all day like I was on Monday.
Thanks for all the support and prayers.
Joe

Happy Easter & Im doing great!

Happy Easter everyone, I know I haven't really posted anything in a while I have been feeling really good so I have been keeping myself very busy which I like to do because it makes me feel like I'm not sick. I got out of the hospital on Tuesday after they gave me my shot. It was a very long 5 day stay at the hospital but a least I don't have another 5 day stay for a while. I have been eating a lot which is great I feel 100%. Thursday of this past week I went back in to do my outpatient chemo this chemo really doesn't do to much to me sick wise which is good so I don't mine the outpatient chemos.

Yesterday me and holly went shopping and got some Easter things for the family we also went to the movies with my little brother and had a great time I am really happy that I feel this good to go and do all these things. I am going to the jackets game tonight with my friend Jeremy and then Holly and her family will be there to so it should be a pretty great game.

Next week will be a good week I hope I only go in for two outpatient chemo treatments and then the same goes for the next week so I am out of the hospital for at least 2 weeks as long as I don't get one of those horrible fevers.

So I just wanted to make sure everyone knew that I am doing good and couldn't be better at this point. Thanks so much for the support and love and have a very happy Easter!
Please continue to pray for my friend Ryan Salmons http://www.teamsalmons.com/ and the rest of the kids on J5.

Joe http://caringbridge.com/visit/joefriend

5 Day Chemo

I have been in the hospital since Thursday and I don't get out until Tuesday. Every day I have been getting chemo I have been doing really well I have my hard days and my easier days and everyday varys. I would feel great if I did not always feel nauseous I haven't really been eating anything but when I can I do try to eat something. I have yet to find a drink that I like everything taste like metal so that is frustrating at time because I need to keep hydrated. 

The doctors say I am doing great and that is great to hear my lungs are great and that make me so happy. I just wanted to let everyone know how I was doing and if I don't get to write soon I wish everyone a Happy Easter!!!

Please continue to pray for my friend Ryan and his family and also all the other kids on J5. 

Thanks so much for the support and prayers.

Joe

Please visit my Caring Bridge site @: http://caringbridge.com/visit/joefriend

Home and doing GREAT!

I had a great birthday tons visited me in the hospital and thanks to those who came and spent my birthday with me it really means a lot. I got some really great gifts from my family and friends that I cant thank them enough they are great!

Saturday morning I was released from the hospital WOOHOO I am so happy to be home and in my own bed. I have four new types of meds I am on now including an inhaler which I think is really helping me. Saturday at home was crazy its like coming home from vacation and unpacking and cleaning for hours I have to say I tried to help Holly as much as I could but I was pretty tried. As soon as I got to my house I went right for the SHOWER it was such a relief. When I was in the shower my hair just came out in clumps so I called my sister to have her bring the clippers over to shave my head so I am now a bald chemo kid once again. My nephew also got his hair shaved for the first time in 2 years he had such long hair now he looks just like uncle Joe. 

Today I am doing great again I feel a million percent better! I went out for a little bit today went to my Aunt Cheryl's for a cookout for my new cousins goodbye party hes going to Iraq for 12 months in May so please pray that he comes back to my cousin Elizabeth and his family safe. I did have tickets to the blue jackets game but decided to pass as I just wanted to get some rest because tomorrow I will be returning to Children's for a chemo it will only be the day chemo and I will be back home in the afternoon. 

Please continue to pray the prayer really do help.

Joe 

Things have to get worse before they get better

Yesterday was not a good day, I didn't have positive notes from the doctors and I wasn't feeling or having any good progress. They took an Xray of my lungs and it was actually worse then the one they did a couple of days ago. I'm feeling really upset because I have been working so hard to fight this virus. The doctors are now unsure what I have again so they started me back on antibiotics and the lung doctors have but me on this machine that shakes me like crazy to shake up the infection in my lungs. My cell/blood count is not to good and is going up slow. I have not gotten chemo for a while now and that also makes me upset. Holly visited me for the first time in 3 days since she has also been really sick, she came on her lunch and she couldn't have came at a better time she turned my day around for me and started making me feel better. 

Today I have been doing a lot better, I got out of bed today and walked I have been doing all my breathing treatments and then more I have really been working hard and feeling really better today. So like the saying goes things always get worse before they get better. I have been on oxygen ever since I came in a week ago and tonight was the first night I have not had to have it on so as long as I can stand to be without oxygen I have a good chance I will be out of the hospital real soon.

Tomorrow is my 22nd birthday and my first birthday spending it in the hospital its a bummer but I am lucky I have not had to be in the hospital for holidays and other important days so ill take one for the team. Holly and my in-laws come up tonight and decorated my room its really nice gives it some character. 

Thank you all for the support and prayers keep them up because they are working!!

Joe

Upper Respiratory Infection

Today they have found that what I have is an Upper Respiratory Infection. It is a virus and they are trying to do everything they can to treat it, the doctors say I should be doing a lot better by Monday its kind of a waiting game at this point. I still did not receive my Chemo today which I am upset about but since I have an infection they are not allowed to give it to me. I also have not been able to break my fever its been in the 103 to 101 all day. I will be in the hospital all weekend. I also gave the infection to Holly so she is allowed up to see me since she has the same thing but she has to wear a mask every where.

Please continue to pray for my friend Ryan Salmons as him and his family are going though a hard time right now.

Joe Friend

A hard time right now

Okay. This is Joe's first post but it really isn't because its me Holly his wife doing this for him. Right now Joe is have a hard time with a lot. He just came in for chemo today to have his outpatient chemo where he goes home after he receives it but he has been battling the flu bug on top of the chemo so it does make anything easy. He has been running a temperature all day and has yet to break. He will probably be spending the weekend at the hospital. Please pray that his fever breaks and he can go home and get some rest! He has also been really upset by the news of Ryan salmons our friend that we have both grown close too. Please give your thoughts and prayers to Ryan and his family while they go though the hardest time in there lives. Ryan is such a amazing young man that has never stopped fighting. Visit my blog www.hollyfriend.blogspot.com to hear what me and Joe both think of Ryan.

They did chest x-rays on Joe's lungs to make sure that they were fine and they are perfect!! Which is great news. We will take what we get! Joe is still in good spirits & we are doing everything we can right now to keep him that way because we know Ryan would never want Joe to give up! 

Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan and his family.

We love you Ryan and you never ever refused to lose!!!

Joe. aka holly lol

Here is a picture of when we first met ryan.

Brad, Ryan, Joey, Holly, Doug & Lori